Chapter 10
Severus glared at the Gryffindor table.
Potter was missing.
They were barely 2 weeks into the school term and already the boy was flouting the rules. Had the 8th years not been explicitly told that they were expected to attend dinner in the Great Hall with everyone else? At least Weasley and Granger were present; surely Potter couldn't get into too much trouble without his loyal sidekicks, Severus thought scathingly.
He had noticed Potter's absence at lunch as well, though he was present at breakfast. The only reason he wasn't now concerned about the missing teen was that his own friends didn't look at all worried. Severus was sure that had Potter's friends not known where he had gone they would have already sounded the alarm.
The dour professor decided he would give Potter the benefit of the doubt and waited all through dinner and then dessert, giving the boy a big chance to show up before the meal was over. Potter never appeared however, so when dinner drew to a close Severus swept from the hall in search of the miscreant.
On his way through the castle Severus stopped in at the library and some favourite student haunts to see if he could spot the familiar mop of black hair and spectacles of the Boy-Saviour, meaning many of the 8th year students had already returned to their common room when he arrived.
The room hushed as he stalked through the portrait hole. Casting his eye about the room, Severus searched for Potter but as he still couldn't see the boy, he had to assume he was in his room.
As he made this conclusion, Granger approached. "Is there something you need, Sir?"
"I need to speak with Mr Potter. If you could fetch him for me it would be most appreciated." Severus drawled.
Grangers' face took on a genuinely confused expression. "Um, he's not here, Sir."
"Yes, I can see that, Miss Granger." Severus snapped impatiently. That is why I would like someone to fetch him for me."
"No, Sir, I mean Harry's not here at Hogwarts." Hermione clarified.
Severus lips pursed together tightly before he spoke in a carefully controlled voice. "And why exactly is he not at Hogwarts?"
Because it's the second weekend of term." Weasley piped up as though that answered his question.
Severus forced down the urge to hex the red-head.
"And why would that mean that Potter is not at school where he is supposed to be?"
"Because he's spending every other weekend at Andromeda's house so he can veisit Teddy Lupin, his Godson." Granger explained.
"Is he now?" Snape growled.
"Yes, Sir, he cleared it with the headmistress before we started the year."
"The headmistress knows about this?"
"Of course. I'm sorry, Professor. I honestly thought you knew." Grager shifted uncomfortably.
"Evidently not." The man ground out. "It appears I am uninformed. Apologies for the interruption. Good night to you all." He addressed the room before taking his leave.
With new determination, Severus stalked through the school towards his old office. Students who passed him noticed his stormy expression and avoided eye contact, trying hard to be invisible so they would not become the focus of his ire.
Approaching the gargoyles, Severus murmured the password and proceeded to ascend up to McGonagall's office. He knocked but didn't wait for a response before walking in, assuming that if the headmistress was indisposed the gargoyles would not have permitted his entrance.
The Scottish witch looked up from her paperwork at the sound of her door opening. "Severus?"
"Did you agree to Mr Potter leaving Hogwarts every other weekend?" He asked before even sitting down.
"I did, why do you ask?"
"I ask, because as his head of year, it would have been nice to have been informed!" Severus snapped, arms folded across his chest as he stood before her.
"Oh Godric! I never told you!" Minerva cried. "Severus, I do apologise, it was quite remiss of me not to discuss the matter with you."
At the apology Severus sighed and sat down opposite his employer, his earlier anger cooling down to a mild irritation. "Never mind, it was unconsciously done I am sure, Though I'm not sure I would have agreed with your decision to allow Potter so much time away from school" He couldn't help but add.
"Tea, Severus?" The headmistress ignored Severus' point until she had filled two cups.
Only once she had taken a sip from her own cup and put it down with a gentle clatter did she begin her explanation.
"I can't say it's ideal, but Potter was quite adamant about it."
"He's a student! Just because he saved the world doesn't mean you should pander to his every whim!"
Minerva sighed. "Severus, when Harry wrote to me to say that the three of them wished to come back, he made it quite clear that their return was contingent on my agreeing to certain requests he had."
"Such as?" Severus promoted.
"Such as, letting him leave Hogwarts so that he could visit his Godson, enabling the three of them to have adjoining rooms next to each other, and ensuring that there would be no press or ministry officials allowed on site while he was here. It was those sorts of things, Severus, nothing too outrageous."
"Don't you see that by allowing him to make special demands you're telling him that we see him just as the rest of the wizarding world does, valuing him for defeating the Dark Lord and not for the person he is." Severus spoke passionately.
Minerva frowned but was inwardly touched at the concern which Severus evidently had for Harry Potter. "What I see, Severus, is that as teachers and caregivers at this school we are required to give the students of this school what they need. And as far as I am concerned, Harry Potter is a student of this school until he gets his NEWTs. What I see, is that Harry needs a place he can go away from the press and fans where he can feel safe and be assured of his friends' safety. And if Harry needs to leave school to visit the son of his dead friend and mentor, then that is what I shall give him."
"Tea, Harry dear?" Andromeda offered pleasantly.
"Please." Harry accepted not taking his eyes off the gurgling baby Teddy who was bouncing on his knee.
"Sugar?"
"Yes, please. Just one." Harry's new tea-drinking habit was another unanticipated outcome of the war. He never drank the stuff before but then the battle happened and suddenly there was lots of sitting in people's living rooms discussing loved ones now dead. They always offered tea, and, more often than not, Harry found himself accepting just to dull some of the intense social awkwardness of the situation, despite not really having a taste for it. Drinking tea had given him something to do during the pregnant pauses that often littered grief-stricken conversation, and at some point Harry had actually found that it wasn't so bad after all.
Andromeda returned from the kitchen levitating a cup and saucer towards and lowering it onto the side table beside him with a gentle clatter.
"So how's school?" Andromeda asked, settling in to her armchair.
Harry shrugged. "Fine, I guess."
Andromeda nodded knowingly, but didn't push. "What subjects are you taking this year?" She asked instead.
"Defence, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions."
The witch frowned. "Auror subjects?"
"Yeah." Harry replied simply, eyes back on the 5 month old in his arms.
Andromeda eyed him seriously. "Is that what you want to do, Harry?"
The teen shrugged again. "I guess."
Andromeda hummed thoughtfully. "Well it's still early days." She reasoned. "No need to rush in to a decision just yet."
Harry just nodded.
"What about Ron and Hermione? Do they have any plans for after school?"
"Ron's pretty keen on joining the Aurors but he wants to make sure George is alright at the shop before he decides on anything."
Andromeda nodded, filled with sympathy for the Weasley clan.
"Hermione's still undecided as well. She's smart enough to do anything and I think research, a mastery of something, appeals to her academic side. But she is also incredibly passionate. I could see her at Kingsley's reformed ministry, setting the world to rights." He smiled warmly, recalling his friend's many well-meant attempts to free the house-elves."
"She's a force to be reckoned with." Andromeda agreed. "I'm sure she'll go far."
A chubby baby palm smacked Harry's arm for his attention and he looked down to see Teddy's fine, naturally brown hair turn electric blue. Harry smiled fondly and watched as the giggling baby changed its hair again; this time elongating to a scruffy black mop which matched Harry's own.
"How's he been?" Harry asked.
"Good. He had a bit of a cough last week but a few doses of Canary's Infant Cough Serum soon sorted him out. He's back to himself now."
Harry nodded. "You will owl me if you need anything, won't you?"
Andromeda smiled, "Of course, Harry. But Teddy and I are getting along fine for the moment."
"I'm glad."
"So you're okay being back at school?" Andromeda checked again.
Harry smiled at the woman who, in a short time, had become like something of an aunt. "Yeah, it's okay. Really." He assured when the witch looked at him skeptically.
"You're sure? You look tired."
"Oh, thanks!" Harry laughed.
"Well you do!" Andromeda defended.
"I'm honestly fine. I'll admit it was weird to begin with but we've gotten back in to the swing of things now. There's too much studying to do; we don't have time to think about anything else." Harry quipped.
Andromeda chuckled, "The new professors working you hard are they?"
"Huh, yeah. There's a lot of catching up to do when you miss school for a year. The professors have been really good though. They've been really understanding."
"That's good."
"Yeah, Professor McGonagall's been a great headmistress so far too; rebuilding the school and repairing relations and stuff. And it's nice being somewhere away from the media and press attention." He looked down at Teddy again and rubbed the baby's tummy to his gurgling delight. "I've missed you though." He lifted the boy onto his shoulder, rubbing his back gently. "My teddy-bear."
Harry stayed at the Tonks residence all day, making the most of every minute he could spend with his Godson. When Teddy got fidgety with tiredness, Harry offered to take him up to bed while Andromeda made dinner.
In the nursery, Harry sat in a rocking chair with a slowly settling Teddy in his arms. "Once upon a time there was a wolf, a dog and a deer." He spoke softly. "And they were the best of friends, and they did everything together. And when the stag fell in love with a doe and had a little fawn, the wolf and the stag promised that they would always protect the fawn. And they did." Little Teddy drifted into sleep, but Harry kept talking and rocking him gently. "But because they'd taken such good care of the little fawn, the wolf couldn't look after his own cub. So when the fawn grew up and became a stag, he promised that he would protect the wolf's cub, just like the wolf protected him. And he did."
Carefully, Harry rose to his feet, Teddy still asleep in his arms. He carried the baby over to the cot and gently set him down, careful not to wake him. Harry stood looking into the crib, one hand tenderly stroking Teddy's hair, which had returned to its naturally fair colour when he had fallen asleep.
"I love you, Teddy-bear." He whispered. "I will always look after you and I'm going to tell you all about your mummy and daddy. You'll grow up knowing about what heroes they were. And you'll always be happy and safe, I promise."
"Master Harry, welcome home." Kreacher greeted when he returned to Grimmauld Place that evening.
"Thank you, Kreacher. How is everything here?" Harry asked the now reformed house-elf.
"All is well, Master Harry, Sir. The house is in excellent order." Kreacher assured, removing Harry's cloak and hanging it on the ancient cloak stand by the door. "Would Master Harry like something to eat?"
"No, thank you, Kreacher. I had dinner with Andromeda before I left." Harry said, feeling suddenly weary from the long day.
"Very well, Master Harry. Your room is ready for you and I'll send up some hot chocolate."
Harry smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Kreacher, you're the best."
"Nonsense." The house-elf denied. "Kreacher is just doing his duty." He remarked flippantly, but Harry caught the look of pride on the elf's face before he turned away and trudged towards the kitchen.
By the time Harry had ascended the stairs to his room, there was already a mug of steaming hot chocolate awaiting him. Kreacher really was best, Harry thought. The young wizard stripped down to his boxers and fell into his luxuriously soft bed.
It was nice to be back home, away from everyone for a bit, but Harry still felt a little tense being away from Ron and Hermione. Sipping his cocoa, Harry could detect Calming Draught in its taste. Kreacher knew his master well. He felt his muscles relax as he finished his drink. Turning the light off and placing his mug on the bedside table, Harry shuffled down into bed. He closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overwhelm him, dreaming of a blue haired baby boy.